Page 47 of Baby By my Best Friend's Daddy

I nodded. I understood what they were saying, and I appreciated that they were there for me, worried about my emotional well-being. They didn’t get it, though. They didn’t understand how serious I was about Rebecca.

The guys dispersed after a while, and I drank more whiskey. I needed the alcohol after that show.

“Ignore them,” Ted said.

“They’re just concerned. It’s nice of them.”

“Sure, it is. But they’re right, it will be tough, and everyone will have an opinion. They’re all judging, too, even if they’re not showing it.”

I shrugged. “They can judge away. I know what I want.”

“Good,” Ted said. “I hoped you would say that. If you’re sure, then it will all work out. It’s what you make of it, in the end.”

“Yeah,” I said.

Ted was right—it was what I made of it, and I wanted to be with Rebecca, come hell or high water. I didn’t care what they said. I knew how I felt about her.

And it was high time she knew how I felt about her too.

It was time to tell her how serious I was about us.

13

REBECCA

“Hello,mybeautiful,”Landonsaid, pulling me into his arms when I arrived at his place. He buried his head in my neck and held onto me tightly.

“Hey, babe,” I said and ran my hand up and down his back. “Is everything okay?”

“More than okay,” Landon said, smiling at me when he let go. “Come on in. I opened a bottle of wine, and I made risotto. It will be ready soon.”

“Oh, wow. That sounds amazing.” I took a deep breath as I walked into the house. “It smells amazing too.”

“It’s mushroom risotto,” I said. “My mom’s old recipe. You’ll love it.”

“I know. I always love the food you make.”

Landon smiled at me before I followed him into the kitchen, and he poured us each a glass of wine. I glanced through the archway to the dining room. The table had been set for two, with candles and red roses decorating it.

“This is very romantic,” I said. “What’s the occasion?”

“I don’t need an occasion to spoil my girlfriend,” Landon said with a smile and took plates out of the cabinet.

When the food was ready, we dished for ourselves and carried our plates to the table. Landon put on music in the background, and we sat down.

While we ate, I told him about my day at the hospital.

“I have to admit, I kind of miss the ER now that I’m off trauma rotation,” I said. “It’s long hours and tough to see some of the people come in looking the way they do, but I feel like I make a difference there. Changing bedpans and checking charts for meds doesn’t really feel like I’m saving lives.”

“Can you ask them to put you back in the ER?”

I nodded. “Yeah, maybe I should. I used to like going all over so I do something of everything, but lately, my heart is more in trauma. At first, with Naomi’s accident, I wanted to get as far away from it as possible, but maybe I can do something to help someone else’s sister, to save her from dying when they couldn’t save mine.”

“That’s very noble,” Landon said. “And I think you should go for it. You should do what makes you happy.”

I nodded. I would do just that.

“You make me happy,” I said with a smile.

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